Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from Test cricket in May 2025, soon after India’s 1-3 defeat in the 2024-25 Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Several reports suggested that Gambhir’s push for a youth centric transition and his resistance to “star culture” played a role in accelerating their exits.
Gambhir, however, dismissed these claims, stating that retirements are purely “individual decisions” that neither a coach nor a selector can dictate. Critics such as Manoj Tiwary accused Gambhir of creating an environment where senior players felt unwanted, including Rohit, Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
